Ever since I was a kid and my old man took me to the Tall Timber in Cook Forest, Pa., and propped me on a bar stool while he shot pool with my uncle Jim, the crack of a cue against pool balls has stirred something inside me. My old man doesn’t shoot pool much these days, but when he does, it’s like riding a bike; a completely natural skill. Unlike the old man, I’m a shitty pool player. But I love trying. With four tables and ample cue-and-elbow room, Goldie’s on 45th is about the only place I’ll shoot. The fact that it has a microbrew selection filled with the usual suspects (Fat Tire, Mirror Pond, Manny’s) only adds to the fun. Given that the only other games one can play while drinking on 45th are trivia or darts at Murphy’s, Goldie’s is kind of a sporting paradise for Wallingford boozers, replete with pinball and Mega-Touch games (Mega-Touch!). And given that the bulk of the clientele is older college students, the risk of embarrassing myself in front of someone I know is relatively low. 2121 N. 45th St., 632-3453.